WINNIPEG - Fort Rouge skip Mike McEwen seems to be more relaxed these days — even after losing a Grand Slam final to nemesis Jeff Stoughton of Charleswood on Sunday.

McEwen is breathing easier thanks to the fact that he has unofficially sewn up a spot in the 2013 Canadian Curling Trials in Winnipeg as the runaway leader into the two-year CTRS points race.

Otherwise, McEwen might have been a head case heading to this year's Safeway Championship — after losing the last three finals in a row.

"It's kind of unrelated as far as provincials and Briers go but, for some reason, it feels like we've finally got a big show coming up," said McEwen, deemed the No. 2 seed Tuesday. "It's kind of lifted a little bit of a burden and we're finally going to get our big shot in front of the world. But that doesn't make us not want the Brier any less."